00:00 Major resignation in Netanyahu's war cabinet.
00:05 Why the former defence expert expressed his anger.
00:11 Is Netanyahu's war push bothering Israeli officials?
00:15 Dr Yoram Hemo, the former head of defence policies and strategic planning for Israel's
00:21 National Security Council, resigned last week after presenting a critical 10-page document
00:27 to the war cabinet regarding Israel's handling of the Gaza war, as reported by Eubreu Media.
00:35 Hemo's resignation followed his assertion that the current war strategy is deeply undermining
00:39 Israel's war objectives.
00:42 In his document, reported by the Israeli media, Hemo warned that the existing approach will
00:47 not fully defeat Hamas and it can result in a prolonged effort to retrieve hostages, potentially
00:54 leading to Israel to impose a military rule over Gaza.
00:58 He expressed doubts over the effectiveness of the ongoing Rafah operation and cautioned
01:02 that the continuation might exacerbate the existing problems.
01:07 Hemo stressed that halting the war can also serve as a significant bargaining tool for
01:12 negotiating the release of remaining hostages.
01:15 However, he warned that continuing the Rafah operation will diminish this leverage.
01:20 For the unaware, the IDF initiated Rafah operation earlier this month after hostage negotiations
01:25 with Hamas failed.
01:27 Despite initial plans, the offensive has been more limited and recent reports suggest that
01:32 it may be scaled further back.
01:35 Hemo emphasized that the ongoing hostilities can turn the hostage situation into a more
01:39 prolonged issue, affecting the national resilience and Israel's strategic objectives.
01:45 And so he criticized the government's delay in deciding who will govern the post-war Gaza,
01:51 a point of contention within the war cabinet.
01:54 This development comes days after Defence Minister Yov Galant and War Cabinet Minister
01:59 Benny Gantz also urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make a decision.
02:05 Even they warned Netanyahu that without a clear alternative governance plan, Israel
02:09 might be forced to impose a military rule, potentially allowing Hamas to regain power.
02:15 Despite the reports of National Security Advisor Zachir Hanebi's anger over the document,
02:20 the National Security Council has denied any hostility, claiming Hemo has been encouraged
02:25 to present his feelings.
02:28 The war between Israel and Hamas started on October 7 last year with a terrorist attack
02:33 by Hamas, resulting in significant casualties and hostage situation.
02:38 Israel's subsequent ground offensive aims to dismantle Hamas and recover the hostages
02:43 at any cost.
02:44 However, out of the initial 252 hostages, 124 still remain in Gaza, with several confirmed
02:50 dead and others still unaccounted for.
02:59 [MUSIC PLAYING]
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